April 30
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WARNING TO THE RICH AND POWERFUL
9 Now the brother or sister of humble circumstances is to glory in his high position; 10 but the rich person is to glory in his humiliation, because like flowering grass he will pass away. 11 For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; and its flower falls off and the beauty of its appearance is destroyed; so also, the rich person, in the midst of his pursuits, will die out. – James 1:9-11:
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In this letter, James brings a very important message about poverty and wealth. His message is focused on encouraging the poor (those who are either deprived of material riches or suffering in their circumstances) and warning the rich persons or those who are mighty in their positions.
In verse 9, he addresses all those who are at a low point in their lives. He says that they ought to be joyful because they will have a chance at being glorified in Christ. In the Sermon in the Mount, Jesus gives a promise to those who are poor in spirit in Matthew 5:3 because theirs is the kingdom of heaven. What a wonderful promise to those who are undergoing trials, suffering and all kinds of adversities! They are candidates to have an inheritance in God’s kingdom.
In verse 10, James warns the rich and the powerful by saying that they will pass away. He likens them to a flowering grass that dies from the scorching heat and withers in verse 11. He further says that even though a flower is beautiful as they blossom and rise to the height of its magnificence, it will soon fade off and be destroyed. Just like a rich person or a powerful man, may die even in the midst of all his worldly quests.
James reiterates this warning to the rich in Jesus’ parable of the rich young man in Matthew 19:16-22. This focuses on a rich young man who approached Jesus and asked him how he can have salvation. And when Jesus said to give up all his riches and give it to the poor so he can have treasures in heaven, the young rich man couldn’t give it up and so he left. Jesus closes this parable with this: “Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”
From this letter of James, I don’t know how anyone wants to choose to be rich or to be powerful. It would be very difficult for them to enter God’s kingdom as Jesus said.
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REFLECTION
• Why would it be difficult to enter God’s kingdom when you are rich & powerful?